Beginnings and Endings
by X-Keva-X
Summary: A three part series. Part 1: 12yr old Rould finds little 6yr old Isa hiding from the pirates that invaded his village and killed his parents. He takes the boy and keeps him as his own keeping him by his side always until that fateful night when they are torn apart. Part 2: Fate is funny in that death can bring the two back together again. What are the odds?
1. Chapter 1

I know I said I wasn't going to do this pairing any more but damn I just love them too much to stop! So here we go another one that only like 7 people will read. Yay! This will be a three part series of three different aspects of their lives. Rould and Isa, Luxord and Saix, and finally what happens when they die as nobodies.

So two things; one there's a TW for insinuations of sex with a minor and secondly I know Isa has blue eyes. I have him with gold in this because it's kind of a connecting point for hims and Rould. (I'm using Rould because it sounds more piratey of all his name options.) I think that's it so on with the fic. Much love for you all. Keva

Oh make that three things. The scene with Isa and his sword think of how Saix hold his claymore when he fights. I don't think I described it very well but I tried.

P.S. I'm going to post this under OXIII for now and see what happens then probably move it to my little corner (which I own) of this fandom under the Lux/Sai pairing.

xx

Isa nestled himself behind the stack of barrels tears in his eyes and trying to be as quiet as possible. His parents were dead, his village was practically destroyed, and the pirates that invaded were still there killing people. Why wouldn't they just go away and leave him alone?

"Are you okay?"

Isa startled fearfully and stared wide eyed at the blonde boy staring at him. His tears began spilling down over his cheeks in earnest as he locked stares with the pirate boy.

Rould kneeled down before the boy and smiled at him. "It's okay I'm not going to hurt you."

"I'm scared." Isa whispered and jumped when a woman started screaming in the building next door to them. "They killed my mommy and daddy." He whispered with a nod at the boy.

Rould sighed deeply and pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry." He reached out, tangled his fingers into the boy's silky blue hair, and gently stroked his head. His father did that to him when he was little and would get upset so he figured it might help calm this boy down too. "So what's your name?"

Isa wiped his nose with his sleeve and sniffled. "Isa." Feeling the elder boy's fingers in his hair was making him feel a little better. "What's yours?"

"Rould." He smiled at him. "I'll make sure no one hurts you okay."

"Okay." Isa nodded in agreement though his tears kept falling. "My mommy and daddy are dead." He nodded sadly at him.

Rould frowned then settled himself down next to the boy and pulled him into his lap. "I'm sorry." He wrapped his arms around him and hugged him.

Isa stiffened against the elder boy's hold but slowly began to relax especially when he again stroked his fingers through his hair.

"How bout," he started causing the boy to look up at him with his wide glassy amber eyes. "we play questions and answers so you won't think about it?"

Isa drew his brows and again wiped his nose with his sleeve. "Okay."

"Okay." Rould grinned at him. "I'll go first. How old are you?"

"Six." Isa nodded and held up six fingers to show him. "How old are you?"

"Twelve." He nodded. "Two sixes make twelve."

"Like two of me?" Isa questioned and sniffled trying to stop his tears.

Rould smiled and nodded at him. "Just like two of you. What's your favorite color?"

"Blue like my hair," he nodded and grabbed a chunk to show him. "and your eyes." He pointed up at his face. "What's yours?"

"Gold," he smiled and wiped the last of the boy's tears away. "just like my hair and your eyes."

Isa smiled at that. "We're almost the same."

"Almost." Rould smiled back at him.

Isa suddenly frowned deeply and stared down at his lap. "Rol what am I supposed to do with no mommy and daddy to take care of me?"

Rould frowned and again tangled his fingers into the boy's hair. "I'll make sure you're taken care of." He nodded causing the boy to look up at him. "Promise."

Isa opened his mouth to respond to that but snapped it shut when a scary pirate stepped behind the barrels.

"Boy what ye be doin back here?" The pirate growled.

"None of your business." Rould glared at the man.

"You're supposed to be learnin the way of the pirate not bein a bloody nurse maid."

"Go away dad." He narrowed his deep blues even further. "I can pirate however I want!"

Eyes nearly identical to his own narrowed just as deeply. "Boy you're about to be introduced ta the broad side of me sword if ye don't watch it."

"Again?" Rould snorted then sighed deeply. "Look I can't leave him like this." He nodded determinedly. "He's just a baby." He tightened his arm around the boy protectively. "He's too young ta be left alone and _someone_," he insinuated. "killed his parents."

The older pirate snorted at that. "That's the point ta bein a pirate."

"Not everyone is the enemy." He growled. "Steal and rape fine but killing everyone is just bloody stupid."

"Then what do ye intend ta do with him?" He changed the subject knowing how the boy would get when he set his mind to things.

Rould looked down at the boy in his lap who was staring at his father fearfully and gripping tightly to his shirt. "I'm going to keep him." He nodded and stroked his fingers though his blue hair. "Until we can find someone to take proper care of him somewhere." He smiled at the boy when he looked up at him.

The elder rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. "Fine but he be your responsibility."

"Fine." He agreed.

"Alright then be ready ta set sail by sunup. You ain't there and you'll regret it." He nodded curtly.

"I'll be there unlike someone who's always late." He glared at him.

"Sometimes the rum is just too good ta leave." He smirked at him. "You'll understand when yer older."

Rould rolled his eyes at him. "I already know what rum tastes like," he nodded. "you an' Bootstrap give me some every year on my birthday."

"Do I?" He stuck the tip of his dagger into his beard and scratched his chin. "Hmm… probably shouldn't do that." He shrugged. "Ah well laddie I suppose worse things could be done ta ye." He shook his head. "Anyway, as for the babe there," he nodded at the boy in his lap. "he'll be your responsibility and if the lads take issue you'll have to stand on yer own."

Rould snorted at that. "You forget dad I have the key to the rum locker."

"Aye," he smirked. "just make sure they don't try ta take yer head off to get to it."

"That's why I don't keep it with me." He pointed out smartly. "Without my head it'll never be found."

"Good lad." He nodded. "Well off to pillagin, rapin, and" when his son narrowed his deep blues he laughed. "nay on the killin."

"Thank you." He smiled and hugged Isa to his chest a little tighter.

The elder pirate nodded at him the turned and ran off towards the nearest pub.

Rould shook his head and smiled down at the boy. "Have you ever been on a ship before?"

Isa shook his head. "No."

"You want to go on one and stay with me?" He buried his fingers into his hair. "I'll take care of you and make sure you're safe."

"But the pirates that killed my mommy and daddy." He nodded at him worriedly as his eyes began filling with tears again.

Rould pressed his lips together and gently wiped the boy's tears away. "Well they might be on my ship but they could be on one of the other ships." He nodded. "If you see them point em out and I'll know who they are and have their ears cut off okay?"

"Okay." Isa nodded at him then looked to where Rould's father so recently stood. "Your daddy won't hurt me will he?"

"Nah." He stood up, picking Isa up, and setting him so the boy had his legs wrapped around his waist and arms wrapped around his neck. "No one will ever hurt you I'll make sure of it. Now let's get to the ship and get something to eat I'm famished."

Isa nodded at him then laid his head on his shoulder. "I'm hamised too." He yawned exhausted from his terrifying ordeal.

Rould chuckled at that and carried the boy all the way back to the ship avoiding most of his father's crew along the way.

xx

Rould tucked Isa into his bed making sure he was covered so he would stay warm then turned when Gibbs entered his father's cabin.

"Boy ye be a bit young for buggerin," he looked at the boy sleeping in the bed. "both of ye."

"I'm not." Rould defended. "His parents were killed and father said I could keep him."

Gibbs arched his brows highly. "Apparently lad ye need a lesson in the difference between pets and people."

"I know he's a person." Rould huffed. "Actually he's just a baby who had his whole family killed." He nodded. "I couldn't leave him to die, he didn't do nothing to us so why should he be left to suffer?"

"That be the pirate way." He nodded.

"Not every person in every town we invade deserves to die," he scowled. "especially when they have babies that will be left behind. Doesn't killing mothers with babies break some pirate code or something?"

"Well now that you mention it." Gibbs nodded and scratched his scruffy beard thoughtfully. "I believe there's something about killing women of less privilege when they have a child to tend to."

Rould scowled. "I knew it." He huffed. "How many other babies were left to die because we slaughtered their whole family? That's not fair!" He growled at him.

"Again…"

"Stuff it Gibbs." He growled cutting him off knowing exactly what he was going to say. "I'm going to make it a new rule that anyone caught killing mothers with babies will have their eye gouged out." He glared deadly at him.

"You think your father is going to enforce that rule?"

"No." He shook his head angrily. "I will though and when I find out who killed Isa's parents they're going to be sorry."

Gibbs shook his head. "You can't impose a punishment after a rule has been made before anyone knows of this rule."

"I can." He nodded determinedly. "This is my ship and I can do what I want."

"Nay laddie this be your father's ship."

Rould waved a dismissive hand through the air. "His ship, my ship, it doesn't matter. The point is if you break the pirate's code you're no better than a traitor. I mean if you break that rule what other rules are you breaking? Pirates need to trust each other and if you can't trust your mate you're as good as dead."

Gibbs shook his head at the boy. He warned the captain not to let his mother keep him those early years or allow him to be sent to that posh school. Now he was a know it all with all kinds of morals that went against the pirating way. Though he did have a point.

"I suppose." He nodded at the boy. "However ye be a tot yourself; how do ye intend to keep the mates in line?"

"I am not." He scowled at him. "And don't worry about it I have my ways of dealing with those who don't obey my rules." He nodded at him then looked over at Isa curled up in a tight ball. "Gibbs do you think the lads will take issue with him?" He turned back to the older pirate and stared at him worriedly.

Gibbs sighed deeply and shrugged. "I can't say." He nodded and looked at the sleeping little boy. "I'd say most probably won't seeing as he's just a wee babe."

"Well if they do then they have a problem with me." He nodded and glared at him.

"I suppose we'll see what happens when they all sober up and make it back ta the ship." Gibbs nodded then turned and left the room.

"Aye, that we will." Rould narrowed his eyes deeply with a nod.

xx

Over the next few months after the initial shock that there was a new addition to the ship things for the most part settled into routine. Rould did his chores like he always did, practiced his knife and sword skills daily, and continued to take lessons from his father in the pirating way. The only difference in his day to day activities was a little blue haired boy either sitting nearby watching, holding his hand, or wrapped around his leg.

Rould swore he would take care of the boy and he was holding true to his sworn duty. He made sure Isa was fed, cleaned, clothed, was always happy and comfortable, and even began teaching him how to fight like a pirate. He was much to his father's annoyance quite the proper little mother to the boy.

However it was made very clear not so long ago when one of the crew took issue with Isa that they either accepted the boy or they wind up with a knife lodged in their throat. Shockingly enough it was one of the longer termed members of the crew that met a nasty end for hurting little Isa.

Everyone aboard knew Rould was one of the best when it came to throwing daggers and playing cards. It was almost as if he was born with the knowledge ingrained into his head. So it was common knowledge that if you play cards with the boy be prepared to lose even if you try to cheat and don't piss him off.

Well Scales learned this the hard way when it was found out that he had done wrong by little Isa.

Rould found the little boy hiding under the bed sobbing to the point of incoherency and naked. Once he managed to coax the boy out from under the bed it was quickly discovered someone had whipped him until he bled. It was another several hours before he was able to calm the boy down enough to speak. Then it was another day before he got the boy to tell him what happened and who did it.

Apparently Isa had accidently tripped when the ship lurched, bumped into Scales, and caused the man to spill his rum. In return Sacles deemed it necessary to beat the boy to teach him a lesson. For Rould it was the same as stealing from him or worse beating him and the retribution came swift severe.

That next day when the whole crew was gathered on the deck Rould showed off his knife throwing skills. Scales never saw it coming until the knife was lodged securely in his neck and before he died Rould let him and everyone else know why. "Anyone who hurts Isa hurts me and they will pay." He growled as he tangled his fingers into the hair of the boy wrapped around his leg.

From that point on Isa was treated as if he was made of glass or at the very least as if he was Rould himself. Several of the crew even went so far as to take the boy under their wings and show him a few sword wielding techniques or just to keep an eye on him.

It was soon noted that Isa actually showed great skill in how quickly he was learning to wield his sword. Though much to many of his teacher's irritation however he refused to hold his little wooden sword up in front of him. For reasons none could understand he had a strong preference for holding it with the blade pointed down more like a walking stick. Yet for all the oddity of it he managed to wield it just as well as any kid his age learning to wield a sword. Rould said if that's the way he wanted it then so be it and so it was left at that.

It wasn't long until the deal was forgotten and it was never mentioned that they were supposed to be looking for a home for Isa. Rould was quite content having Isa with him and Isa remained by the elder boy's side always.

The months soon turned to years and those years aged both boys fairly well. They were strong fighters, defenders of their ship, their pirate family, and above all else each other. It was wondered on more than one occasion whether or not Rould and Isa were actually one person in their past life. They seemed to mesh together so well that one would start something and the other would easily finish it like they started it in the first place.

Then when Rould turned seventeen and Isa was just a mere eleven a change occurred. For on Rould's seventeenth birthday he like his father on his seventeenth birthday was to have his first whore. Rould went though reluctantly and Isa had stayed behind rather displeased for reasons no one could understand and didn't calm down until Rould's return.

Rould walked into his and Isa's shared room and found the boy sitting on the edge of the bed, foot in hand, and frowning. "What happened?" He questioned as he kneeled down before the boy and attempted to take his foot into his own hand. He was quickly thwarted when Isa jerked away from him.

"What do you care?" Isa hissed. "Go back to your whore!" He ambers narrowed as he glared at him.

Rouled frowned at him. "I didn't do anything and you know I only went to appease my father." He nodded then reached out and gently grabbed his foot.

"But your dad said…"

"I had to go." He looked up at him cutting him off. "He didn't say I had to do anything with her." He wrinkled his nose. "Plus who knows where she's been," he lifted his foot up to see what was wrong with it. "probably loaded with syphilis or something worse. How'd you get a sliver in your foot?"

"Remember, my shoes fell apart and we're suppose to get me some before we leave." He nodded down at him. "You really didn't do anything with her?"

Rould pulled the dagger from his hip and smiled up at him. "No I really didn't." He stuck the tip of the dagger against the entry point of the sliver and pulled the skin open a little more.

Isa hissed against the small pain and watched as Rould worked the sliver out of his foot. "Good, I'm glad you didn't do anything with her."

"Oh?" He smirked up at him and began massaging his foot once he had the sliver removed. He loved Isa's feet they seemed so small, were always soft, and fit in his hand perfectly. "And why is that?"

"Because you're mine and no one is allowed to have you unless I say." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

"I suppose that would make you mine then." He nodded thoughtfully.

"Of course." Isa nodded. "You found me and kept me. We're supposed to be together."

"You make it sound like your some _thing_ I found in a trash bin somewhere." He scowled up at him.

"Not like that." He frowned. "I mean you did find me and I'm still here with you."

"True." He agreed, brought his foot up to his lips, and place a kiss against the ball of his foot.

"Why do you always do that when you touch my feet?" He questioned as he watched him set his foot down and grab the other.

Rould smirked at him. "Because for one I love your feet and two I can make you do this." He gently sank his teeth into the fleshy ball of his foot causing him to giggle and squirm.

"What?" He questioned when he pulled his foot from his mouth.

"Laugh." He smiled and watched his eyes glow brightly as he giggled when he bit into his foot again.

Isa stared at him and drew his brows deeply in thought.

"What?" Rould questioned as he stared at him.

"Do you love me?"

A blonde brow rose highly at his question. "Why would you ask that?"

He frowned and stared down at his foot still cradled in his warm calloused hand. "I… don't know."

Rould set his foot down, stood up, and sat down next to him. "Well," he started as he pulled the boy into his lap and tangled his fingers into his hair. "I'd have to say I do." He nodded and rested his chin on his head.

"Good," Isa smiled. "because I love you too."

"Good." Rould grinned and slipped his arms around his waist hugging him to his chest.

"Did you kiss her?"

"What?" He drew his brows deeply and pulled back to look down at him at the sudden topic change.

Isa stared at his lap and frowned deeply. "That woman your father took you to see," he looked up at him his ambers cold and hard. "did you kiss her?"

Rould sighed deeply and nodded. "Yes."

Isa pressed his lips together tightly and narrowed his ambers. "Then I want you to kiss me like you kissed her." He nodded determinedly.

"What?" He stared at him wide eyed. "Why?"

"Because you didn't like her and you kissed her." He pointed out. "But you love me so if you kiss me it will be better."

"I don't think…"

"Please." He pleaded cutting him off and stared up at him hopefully. "This is important."

"Why is it so important?" He questioned blonde brows drawn deeply.

He shook his head lightly. "I don't know why I just know it's important that you kiss me."

Rould stared at him for a long silent contemplative moment then cupped his face with both his hands. "Alright." He nodded then placed a light kiss on his brow before placing another one on his lips.

"Is that how you kissed her?" He questioned locking stares with him and narrowing his eyes slightly. Rould only ever kissed him that way and it had better stay that way for the rest of eternity.

"No." He whispered. "This is how." He leaned down, caught his lips between his own, and gently sucked on his bottom lip.

Isa tangled his fingers into Rould's shirt and pressed closer to him. His heart started beating faster and his stomach flipped excitedly as his breathing began to come in short gasps. When Rould slipped his tongue into his mouth and swirled it against his own he knew without a doubt that this was right.

Rould slowly pulled back and stared into Isa's glowing ambers and smiled. "Better?" He trailed his thumb along his bottom lip.

Isa slowly nodded his head against the hands holding his face. "Yes and you can't ever do that with anyone unless I say you can." He ordered in all seriousness. "Or have sex with them either." He added as an afterthought.

"Oh?" His blonde brows arched highly. "And do tell who can I have sex with that you'll approve of?"

Isa drew his brows deeply in thought as he pressed his lips together. "Me." He nodded. "Just me for now."

"Darling you are too young." He let go of his face and stood up picking Isa up with him.

Isa wrapped his legs around his waist and gripped his shoulders. "I am not." He hissed.

"No I think you are." He nodded and placed his hands under Isa's bottom to hold him up. "Maybe in a couple of years you'll be old enough for that kind of thing." He started walking for the door. "But in the mean time there's nothing that says we can't do this." He leaned down and planted a light kiss upon his lips.

"I guess." He reluctantly agreed.

"Now let's go get you some shoes." He smiled at him as he opened the door. "We've got to keep those cute little feet of yours in good shape."

"Alright but I can walk you know." He nodded curtly at him.

"I know but if you walk barefoot who knows what you might step in." He wrinkled his nose. "The people around here are disgusting."

"But they're your people." Isa pointed out. "Everyone here is a pirate."

"Yes and they're bloody disgusting." He nodded. "Spitting everywhere, pissing where they stand, practically shitting in the streets. There is such a thing as dignity and everyone should have at least a little including pirates."

"If they were all like you pirates might not be hated so much." He grinned at him.

"No they'd still be hated just considered not as dirty." He grinned right back. "So what do you want to do after we get you your shoes?"

Isa shrugged. "We've done everything there is to do here at least once."

"I suppose." He agreed as he walked down the gangplank. "I'm sure we'll find something to do." He nodded. "Maybe we could steal our own ship and sail away."

"Until we got caught and your dad beats us like the last time we tried to steal a ship." He pointed out knowingly.

"Alright then how about we finally get your ears pierced."

"No." He shook his head. "But you can get yours done again if you want."

"A tattoo?"

Isa shook his head. "No."

"Maybe I'll get a new one." He nodded thoughtfully as he entered the shoe maker's shop.

"Of what?" He questioned as Rould set him on his feet.

Rould rubbed his chin with his knuckles thoughtfully. "I don't know? What do you think I should get one of?"

"Something lucky." He nodded. "Like a lucky number or a shark's tooth or something like that."

"Hmm…" He hummed thoughtfully. "A lucky number now that sounds more like me." He arched a brow at him. "Any particular number you find lucky?"

Isa shrugged at him. "Aren't seven and thirteen lucky numbers?"

"I believe so." He nodded then looked over at the shop owner. "He needs shoes and we want the most sturdy comfortable ones you've got." He ordered. "After here we'll go see about a tattoo."

Isa nodded and sat down to be measured for a new pair of shoes. "Alright as long as we get something to eat too."

"Deal." He agreed then leaned against the wall to wait.

xx

_X-Three Years Later-X_

"Happy Birthday!" Isa jumped on the bed landing on Rould's stomach.

Rould groaned at being woken up in such a way and grabbed Isa by the hips. "Boy it's much too early for this kind of behavior." He growled.

Isa huffed. "It is not." He placed his hands on his chest and leaned down until they were nose to nose. "Besides it's your twentieth birthday and I want you to open your present now." He nodded.

Rould arched a blonde brow. "Oh and do tell what is so important about this present that I have to open it before sun up?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise." He smirked at him then planted a kiss on his lips before sitting back up.

"Aright." He yawned and sat up causing Isa to slide down into his lap as he did so. "Where is this present?"

"It's me of course." Isa smirked at him.

"Ho aren't you the funny one." He snorted. "And just know if you woke me up just for that you're going to regret it."

"Oh and what are you going to do to me?" He challenged.

"Tattoo my name on your little ass." He nodded curtly and gave a small slap to his thigh.

Isa wrinkled his nose at that. "Your name on my ass? I don't know that seems more of a punishment for you than me." He nodded.

"Not when it says 'property of' it isn't." He narrowed his eyes upon him. "Now enough of your silliness. What did you wake me up for?"

"Alright." He huffed and held a little card sized tin out to him. "Here; happy birthday."

Rould looked down at the silver tin and opened it then looked back at the boy in his lap. "You got me a deck of cards?" He drew his brows. "I have several already."

"Ingrate." He scowled at him. "You haven't even looked at them so how do you know they're an ordinary deck of cards?"

"Well I don't usually look at every card when I get a deck; now do I?" He removed them from the tin and started shuffling through them.

"Well how do you know they're all there if you don't." He easily countered. "I mean you of all people should know that."

"If you were a gambler you'd understand why I don't need to look at them all." He nodded.

Isa rolled his eyes. "I suppose when you have half the deck up your sleeve there's no need for counting them."

He snorted at that then held up the king of spades to get a better look at it. "Is that my face?" He moved it closer to get a better look at it.

"Yes." Isa nodded. "It's your face." He took the card from his hand, flipped it over, and looked at it. "Nelly has been working on these for me for the last year now." He nodded. "She captured your likeness pretty good." He smiled at him and held the card next to his face.

Rould grabbed the card from his hand and again stared at it. "So they're all specially made?" He questioned as he looked at a few he already shuffled through.

"Yes." He nodded. "They're all for the most part regular except for the kings, queens, and jacks."

"You had my father painted as the queen?" He looked up at him grinning near on laughing.

Isa shrugged at that. "Couldn't think of anyone else." He snorted. "I mean I wasn't going to put my face on there as the queen."

He held the jack of hearts with Isa's face up next to him on one side and the queen of diamonds on the other and stared thoughtfully at him. "I don't know you could have pulled off a good lookin queen yourself." He smirked.

"That's not funny." He scowled.

Rould put the cards away and set the tin on the nightstand then wrapped his arms around the boy in his lap. "Now that that's over with can I go back to bed?" He slipped his hands up under the large linen shirt he was wearing which was actually his own shirt and trailed his fingers up and down his spine. The boy always looked so sexy when he would wear his shirts to bed.

Isa just shrugged at him. "If you want you can but I doubt you'll get back to sleep." He nodded.

"Oh?" He leered at him. "And why is that?"

"Because I'm awake." He answered simply.

Rould rolled them over putting Isa flat on his back beneath him, reached down, and trailed his fingers up his exposed thigh. "Well in that case I think I know what else I want for my birthday."

"I wasn't planning on giving you that for your birthday but if you really want it." He nodded thoughtfully.

"Well in that case forget it." He made to get up but was stopped when Isa wrapped his arms around his neck.

"No." He shook his head as he stared up at him. "You said you wanted it so you're going to get it. Besides if you want it for your birthday we have to do it now before your dad gets you so drunk you forget your own name like last year and the year before and…"

"Alright," he cut him off. "point taken I'm a sodding drunk once a year. Though I believe he said something about putting hair on your chest next year."

Isa wrinkled his nose at that. "You know I don't like the taste of whiskey."

"Rum it is then." He leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his lips with a smirk knowing he doesn't like rum either.

"You're not funny." He growled. "Now if we're going to do this we need to do it before your dad comes stumbling drunk in here and drags you away."

"If you insist." He got off the bed stripped his pants off, pulled Isa's shirt off him, and got back into bed with the boy.

Isa stared at him laying on his back with his arms behind his head and narrowed his ambers.

"It is my birthday." He grinned at him.

Isa snorted then slipped beneath the covers to begin giving him his _other_ birthday present.

xx

Isa shot straight up wide awake when there was a loud crash followed by the ship rocking violently. "Rould!" He reached frantically for him only to find his side of the bed empty.

What was going on and where was Rould? He wondered fearfully as another loud crash sounded followed by another lurch of the ship.

"Isa!"

The boy jumped fearfully when Rould came running into the room. "Rould what's going on?" He questioned on the brink of a panic attack.

"We're under attack." He scooped the boy up blankets and all and began running out of the room. "We have to get you out of here."

Isa wrapped his arms around his neck. "You're not going to leave me!" He yelled against his neck over the yelling of the men and the sound of cannon fire. This wasn't the first time they had ever been under attack but this was the first time it seemed really really bad.

"Don't worry." He tried to comfort. "I'm just going to put you on the life boat, get father, and we'll row to the island."

Isa shook his head against his neck. "No! You can't leave me!"

"It's okay baby I'll be right back," he set him in the boat and pulled his arms from around his neck. "I swear it." He stared into his glassy ambers and stroked his fingers through his hair. "We're going to be okay." He nodded at him.

Isa shook his head. "No." He whispered feeling the tears burn as his throat tightened. He just knew that if Rould left him he would never see him again.

"You have to trust me." He nodded.

"I do but this is…" His words were cut off when there was a loud explosion followed by wood flying everywhere.

"I have to get my dad." He tried once things settled a little. "I can't leave him anymore than I can leave you. You have to understand."

He pressed his lips together tightly and swallowed the knot in his throat before he slowly nodded his head.

"Okay." Rould smiled lightly and nodded back. "I'll be right back." He planted a quick kiss on his lips and pulled back with a caress to the boy's cheek. "I love you Isa." He whispered just loud enough for the boy to hear before he stepped back and cut the ropes holding the boat.

"NO!" Isa screamed as the boat dropped into the water. He frantically grabbed for the ship to keep the boat close but it was for not as the waves quickly put distance between his little boat and the ship.

He watched in wide eyed horror as the battle between the two ships raged on until his ship was nothing but timber on the water. It was too dark to see all of the events playing out before him but he could see enough to know that nearly every man onboard was dead or dying.

He felt sick to his stomach knowing without a doubt that Rould was more than likely dead. He wanted to jump into the water die with him or at the very least try to find him and die with him.

"BLOODY BASTARDS!"

That voice sound just like Rould's causing him to strain his eyes as hard as he could trying to find the source of the voice and when he did he was sick to his stomach. He couldn't see much but what he could see in the dim light of the burning bits of ship was the back of a blonde man falling into the water missing his left arm.

"No!" He gasped paralyzed in shock and fear until something hit him in the back of the head sending him into the black pit of nothingness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part II**

(this part will be two chapters because of length.)

xx

Saïx stared at himself in the mirror, wet hair hanging in his face, pale damp skin, and empty golden eyes. He was a nobody in every sense of the word. His old name cast away, his feelings gone, his heart missing, and even his appearance was different.

He had an X shaped scar on his brow why he had it he didn't know. His ears were pointed like elven ears, his eyes were a deeper gold, hair darker blue, and oddity of all oddities canine like fangs. Who was this man staring at him in the mirror every day?

Isa his former self was now a heartless and he was what was left over from the loss of his heart. So was this man in the mirror his soul or was he just a mass of darkness trying to be what he once was? Hell even his voice was different it seemed deeper and more menacing.

His new appearance came with powers he never knew he had or they too were just a byproduct of being a Nobody. Whatever they were they fit him perfectly the rage of a man that lost everything and cared about nothing. It really didn't matter at this point he didn't have the emotions to care which just seemed to enhance the dark attitude he became a nobody with.

He was happy once upon a time ago before he lost everything he cared about, everything he loved, the only person he ever truly loved. It's was fitting that he literally lost his heart seeing as how he lost it four years earlier when his whole pirate family died.

He jerked the towel from around his waist and stares at the tattoo he had placed on his hip. A royal flush with his face as the jack, Rould's father as the queen, and Rould as the king. It was an exact replica of the cards he had given to Rould that fateful night when they were lost to each other forever.

He ran his fingers across the tattoo and snorted. He was going to have it put on his shoulder the first time but he wanted it where he could see it. The funny thing was when he separated from his heart his heartless took his tattoo and he had to get it done a second time along with getting his ears pierced. These were just two things he did to keep Rould in his memory forever.

He dropped his head against the mirror, stared into his empty ambers in the reflection, and sight deeply. He didn't know if it was worse that he couldn't feel the longing need or if he remembered it so well it seemed as if he could feel it.

"Saïx?"

Saïx lifted up and sighed deeply. "What?" He questioned as he wrapped his towel back around his waist covering his tattoo.

Xemnas appeared behind him and stared at him in the reflection in the mirror. "You waste your time remembering the past." He nodded. "This is your life now. Your old life needs to be forgotten so you can focus on what needs to be done here."

Saïx narrowed his ambers slightly. "My past is irrelevant to you." He bit out. "So long as I fulfill my duties to our cause everything else in my life is my business."

"Is it?" He arched a silver brow at him. "You long for your past to be your life once again but that person in the past is not the person you are now."

"I know that." He turned around, looked up at him, and narrowed his ambers even further. "But when I become complete I will be that person again right back where Ansem found me; lost and alone."

"So you wish to never become complete?"

Saïx snorted at that. "If I really wanted to become complete it wouldn't be that difficult. I know where my heartless is. How hard would it be to either take my heart back or merge with it?"

"It's not as simple as that." He nodded knowingly.

"Isn't it?" He arched a blue brow highly at him. "It has the heart, I have the soul, bring the two together and you have one whole person." The only reason he didn't try to get his heart back from his heartless was because of the forlorn, lost, desperate look on its face. He knew the pain it was suffering being he suffered it for nearly three years before he became what he now is. He did not want to feel those feelings again it was bad enough remembering them.

"Very well." Xemnas sighed deeply and nodded knowing full well he was fighting a losing battle with him. He didn't understand why Saïx insisted on holding on to the memory of his past life. It was the past and it should well stay there. He wasn't sure what was in his past that he so insisted on keeping a tight grasp on but whatever it was he needed to let it go. "Xaldin has brought back a potential new member and I received word from Xigbar that he too found one."

"Are we going to have the meeting when Xigbar gets back or now?" He questioned as he reached for his pants.

"We'll wait until Xigbar returns." He nodded. "In the meantime I will leave it up to you to get with Xaldin and work out the details with the new recruit. If you feel he isn't up to par let me know and we'll figure it out from there."

Saïx nodded as he slipped his pants on beneath his towel then dropped it to the floor when he pulled them up.

Xemnas caught a brief glimpse of something on Saïx's hip and drew his brows. "What was that?"

Saïx buttoned his pants and stared up at him. "What?"

"On your hip." He pointed at his hip.

"Nothing." He growled and walked out of the bathroom.

Xemnas followed him rather intrigued by the fact that number VII claimed it as nothing but he was getting rather tense about it. Especially since he didn't remember ever seeing him with a mark on that part of his body when he first examined him as a nobody.

"Clearly it isn't nothing since it is something." He placed his hand on his bared shoulder bringing him to a stop.

Saïx pressed his lips together tightly. "It's nothing to you."

"What are you hiding?" He questioned as he stared down at him. "You've been keeping something locked away inside you since…" He trailed off as he tried to remember when he first noticed that he was keeping something a secret. "I believe it was about the time you got your memories back."

"Again it bears no consequence to you." He glared at him. "Anything and everything of my past is MINE to remember whether you approve of it or not. I don't tell you how much of your past to remember or forget so stay out of my business."

Xemnas narrowed his eyes upon him then grabbed him by the shoulders and pressed him against the wall. "What are you hiding from me?" He demanded holding him tighter when he tried to get away.

Saïx gnashed his teeth together as he glared up at him. "For the last time it's nothing that concerns you."

"It is when your behavior is completely unexplainable." He nodded. "Is it something you're missing or something you're needing?"

Deep ambers narrowed. "Enough." He growled, placed his hands on his chest, and tried to push him away only to find he wasn't about to be moved.

"Answer me." He ordered. "What are you hiding from me?"

He couldn't take it a second longer. Just because Xemnas was the leader of their Organization that didn't mean he had rights to nose in his business.

Xemnas watched as the X scar on his brow began to become more pronounced and jagged as his hair began to stand on end. Whatever he was hiding was something so deep he was sure Saïx felt it on a physical level. However before he could get the answers he wanted he was going to have to stop him from going into his deadly berserk mode.

Saïx suddenly slumped against the wall as his powers quickly dissipated. Xemnas' lips covering his own was completely unexpected and more so when the larger man slipped his tongue inside his mouth. Why was he doing this? More importantly, where did he get off thinking he could just kiss him on a whim like this?

He pulled back and stared into his wide ambers. "Now, let's try this again."

If he wasn't furious before he certainly was now. "You overstepped your bounds." He growled then shoved the larger man away from him. "You ever do that again and Superior or not I will kill you." He hissed then vanished in a swirl of darkness leaving Xemnas standing there blank faced as always.

xx

Saïx walked down the hall doing his daily rounds as usual noting nothing of importance going on as usual. He had been effectively avoiding Xemnas for the last two days but knew he was going to have to face the man eventually. However he had to overcome the want to kill him for kissing him like he did.

The man stole something from him that was only ever reserved for one person and that person was long gone. Yet that didn't mean he would never see him again for he was sure that there was an afterlife and Rould was there waiting for him. The problem was getting there to him was easier said than done seeing as he was only halfway there.

However before he could get to his afterlife he had to deal with the here and now. Such as getting new recruits to fight for their cause such as the one walking towards him with Xigbar. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the newest member wearing the coat. He was familiar to the point that he was sure if he had a heart it would have stopped in shock.

As he stared at the blonde haired blue eyed man walking towards him he couldn't help but hold his breath in anticipation. Could it possibly be him? What were the odds that his long lost, thought for sure he died in the shipwreck, best friend and love of his life was here and a Nobody?

"Luxord this is **Saïx**." Xigbar insinuated as he nodded at the berserker.

"I see." The blonde nodded as they came to a stop in front of the number VII. He suddenly cupped Saïx by the face with both hands, placed a light kiss on his brow, then one on his lips, and smiled at him. "Saïx." He nodded then released him and walked off leaving Xigbar staring wide eyed between the two. "Come I want to meet this Superior you've been prattling on about." He ordered.

Xigbar stared wide eyed at Saïx for a second before jogging to catch up with the man.

Saïx just stood there staring wide eyed at his retreating form. "Rould." He whispered as he brought his fingers to his lips.

There was no doubt about it; it was him. He sounded like him, smelled like him, felt like him, and what he could taste on his lips tasted like him. Plus if that wasn't an indicator of who he was the kiss on the brow and lips was; Rould was the only one to ever kiss him like that.

He watched them until they were out of sight then headed for his room. His mind was in a whirlwind of thoughts and unfeeling but remembered emotions. He needed to talk to him and find out how he ended up here and how he didn't die in the shipwreck. However he'd have to wait for what was going to feel like an eternity for Xemnas to '_prattle on_' about the Organization.

He could wait though, he waited this long and was still waiting for death to reunite them. An hour or two longer wasn't going to be any worse than the years he's already waited.

xx

"Man what are you doing?!"

Luxord stopped with his hand on the door knob and stared at the red head walking towards him. "Obviously I'm opening this door." He pointed out like he was too stupid to figure out what his eyes were clearly seeing.

"I know that." Axel huffed. "I mean do you have a death wish or what? That's Saïx's room and he barely tolerates people knocking let alone opening his door without permission."

"I'll take my chances." He opened the door, stepped inside, looked over his shoulder at number VIII and smirked at him. He then closed the door to his gapped jawed expression with a snort.

His deep blues easily spotted who he was looking for finding him standing in front of his window staring out into the darkness.

"I thought you died." Saïx whispered when Luxord came to stand behind him. "I thought for sure it was you I saw sinking into the eternal depths of the ocean." He sighed deeply. "I died that day."

Luxord frowned deeply and placed his hands on Saïx's shoulders feeling them tense briefly before relaxing. "It wasn't me." He began to gently massage his shoulders. "It was dark and what you thought was me sinking to my death was actually my father."

Saïx frowned at that. "He was a good man… for a pirate."

"That he was." He smiled then pulled Saïx back to the bed, sat down, and pulled him into his lap. He settled him into his lap the same way he had so many times during their lives, took his gloves off, and tangled his fingers into his hair.

Saïx laid his head against his shoulder, closed his eyes, and reveled in the familiar feel of his fingers stroking through his hair.

"I looked everywhere for you." Luxord whispered and tightened his hold around his waist with his other arm. "Everyone told me I was wasting my time, that you were in Davy Jones' locker but I didn't believe them… didn't want to believe them." He sighed. "How did you survive?"

Saïx gave a small shake of his head. "I don't remember." He sighed deeply and stared at his lap. "The last thing I remember seeing is you… well your father going under. When I woke up next I was in a hospital unsure of who I was or where I came from or anything." He sighed again. "Ansem took me in and let me live with him working with me to get my memoires back. Which after a lot of time and many frustrating days I finally got it all back." He looked up at him and frowned. "I remembered and wished I didn't."

Luxord moved his fingers from his hair, down to cup his chin, and gently trailed his thumb across his lips. "I wanted to die when I couldn't find you. Every time I thought I saw you or heard a rumor about someone similar to you and found it wasn't you," he sighed deeply. "I didn't know if I could go on. But I did hoping one day I would find you."

Saïx snorted at that. "And you did now that we don't have the hearts to feel it anymore."

"But I can remember just as you can." He nodded then leaned down and planted a light kiss on his lips. "And we can feel it on the outside if not on the inside."

"That will have to do for now." Saïx nodded lightly as he stared into his deep blues.

"Aye it will." He agreed then again pressed their lips together as his fingers moved from his chin down to the zipper of his coat. He grasped the little silver tab and slowly pulled it down opening his coat until it reached his waist. He ran his hand up his exposed chest to his shoulder and pushed the coat off.

He moved his lips down over his chin to his neck forcing his head back to get at his throat as he pushed his coat further down his arm until he pulled it free. Once he had that half of his coat off he trailed his fingers down his side, over his hip, down his leg to grasp the heel of his boot. He slipped his boot off followed by his sock then moved to his other foot and proceed to do remove that boot and sock as well.

He curled his fingers around his bared foot and gently pressed his thumb into the ball gently massaging it. He loved his perfect little feet they were now just as they were then smooth, soft, and fit in his hand perfectly.

He pulled back with a light suck to his bottom lip and stared into his empty ambers. He saw no emotion in those golden pools and he was sure Saïx was seeing the same emptiness within his own eyes. It was just another reason that being in the state they were needed to be remedied. He wanted to see the same glow of happiness he remembered Isa having when they were together last, four long years ago.

He moved his hand from his foot to his waist and stood him up before him to finish removing his coat. "Still perfect." He muttered then leaned in and placed a kiss against his abdomen as he moved his fingers to work open the button and zipper of his pants.

Saïx tangled his fingers into his hair and noted that it seemed more platinum then he remembered it. Not only that but his eyes seemed to be more an aqua blue than the deep blue they used to be. He didn't care though because he was with Rould even if he too was a Nobody with a new name. To him he would always be Rould just as he knew he would always be Isa to him. A new name didn't change who they were it was only a title of who they now are. A way for Xemnas to shed them of their past and become someone new.

However a new name doesn't change your memories and even if there were parts of your past you wanted to shed you never could. The most you could do is pretend they never existed but he never would. His past life was a good one… well until he was ripped away from the love of his life. Yet now here he was once again together with Rould who even if he couldn't FEEL the love he remembered it and for now that would have to be enough.

"Oh and what do we have here?" Luxord questioned once he had Saïx's pants pooled around his feet.

Saïx looked down and watched him trail his thumb over the tattoo on his hip. "A piece of you to keep you close always." He snorted. "I had to have it done twice; my heartless took it when it took my heart."

"I see." He smiled up at him then leaned in and placed a kiss upon the tattoo. "It looks just like mine aside from the suit." He stripped himself of his coat and showed him the exact same tattoo on his shoulder but where Saïx's was spades his was hearts.

Saïx ran his fingers over the tattoo on his shoulder and smiled. "Fitting." He nodded and copied Luxord's actions by placing a kiss on his tattoo. "You know," he started when Luxord turned back around. "it's almost ironic that you have this one as well." He ran his fingers over the '_Lucky VII's_' tattoo on his other arm. "I'm number seven."

Luxord palmed his face and placed a kiss on the X scar on his brow. "And I'm number X and you have and X on your brow." He looked into his empty eyes. "How did you get it?"

Saïx gave a small shake of his head against his hold. "I don't know. After I lost my heart and woke up it was there."

"Actually," he eyed the scar and placed another kiss upon it. "I like it." He picked him up and set him on the bed so he was sitting on his knees. "And these too." He fingered the little diamond stud in his ear.

"Is that all?" He stared at him as his fingers began working the button on his pants.

Luxord smirked at that. "Well there's actually quite a few things about you I like." He grabbed his wrists when he started pulling down the zipper on his pants. "And I plan on reacquainting myself with each and every little thing about you I love."

"Oh and what do you love the most?" He questioned like he didn't already know the answer to his own question.

"Every inch of you." He purred then swept him up into deep hot kiss.

xx

"Man I'm telling you he just walked into Saïx's room like he owned it." Axel stared wide eyed at Lexaeus. "I tried to stop him but he just did it anyway."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" He larger man questioned with an annoyed sigh.

"Save his dumb ass before Saïx tears him to pieces." He pointed out with a huff. "I mean he's new so he doesn't know who's who and what not and he sure as hell doesn't know not to test boundaries with Saïx." He jabbed his fingers through his hair.

"Well if he's fool enough to enter Saïx's room without permission then he deserves what he gets." Lexaeus nodded.

"Not on the first day when he doesn't know everyone and all that." Axel waved his hand through the air. "There's just certain things you don't do like say rearrange Zexy's books or interrupt Vexen when he's experimenting with explosive materials. Just walking into Saïx's room without knocking or anything is right up there with kicking Xemnas in the ass." He shook his head at the larger man. "You just don't do it."

"Fine I'll go get him if only to shut you up." Lexaeus growled and started down the hall towards Saïx's room.

"Hey," Xigbar dropped down from the ceiling. "have you two seen the newbie anywhere? He's suppose to be training with Xaldin and we can't find him."

"Yea he's in Saïx's room." Axel nodded.

Xigbar crossed his arms over his chest as he walked next to the red head following behind Lexaeus. "What's he doin in Saïx's room?"

"I don't know." Axel shook his head. "He just opened the door and walked right in without a second thought about what he was doing."

"Wow now that takes a set." He nodded. "Though he did kiss Saïx the second he met him so…" He trailed off and shrugged.

"Really?" Axel stared wide eyed at him. "And what'd Saïx do?"

"Funny thing that," he shook his head. "nothing but stand there and let him."

"It sounds as if they know each other," Lexaeus pointed out. "or at the very least knew each other prior to becoming nododies."

"How?" Axel questioned. "I've known Saïx for a long time and he never mentioned anyone from his past before."

"Maybe he kept it a secret." Xigbar nodded. "He did have amnesia when we first found him maybe his real past wasn't so great and he didn't want to talk about it."

"Or maybe this Luxord was someone that used to pick on him before." Axel nodded wide eyed. "Maybe just maybe Saïx is the one in danger not Luxord."

"Well we'll soon find out." Lexaeus nodded when the stopped in front of Saïx's door.


End file.
